Pain and Punishment
by Nobodie
Summary: The death of Marian shocked all, but the two men who loved her are each facing their own troubles relating to the death. Gisbourne feels immense guilt mixed with anger whilst Robin seems to be seeing her everywhere. Can they live their lives as they were?


**Pain and Punishment**

**Chapter 1 "By my sword…"**

**A/N** Yeah… This is probably not all that good or whatever but you know… Let me know what you think then I'll decide whether or not it's worth continuing… It's the first time I've tried my hand at a proper fanfic let alone a Robin Hood one.

**Disclaimer:** I own none of these characters except the woman in the carriage I suppose but she's not really a character… Shrug

Robin lay low to the ground watching closely as a horse drawn carriage rattled along the road. Was it really right to do this? He shook the thought from his head. He had never questioned what they had been doing before after all. He looked across seeing the newly re-recruited Alan hidden a little closer to the road obscured from view by a tree, his bow at the ready. As soon as the carriage passed Robin got swiftly but quietly to his feet seeing Much do the same on the opposite side of the road. He hurried down the hill along with Alan as Much climbed up the hill on the other side. John seemingly appeared from nowhere barring the way across the road standing before the horses. Robin walked towards the driver while Alan pointed an arrow at the female's head. Robin froze as the woman's face came into view.

"Marian?" He questioned.

Alan looked at Robin with a thoroughly confused look upon his face. This woman looked nothing like their recently deceased ally. The woman who, admittedly had long brown hair, looked just as confused as he did. Her deep brown eyes studied Robin for a few moments.

"My name's not Marian…" She stated quietly keeping the confusion out of her tone.

By now Much had abandoned searching the carriage and had appeared beside his master staring into the woman's face. He looked back at Robin who suddenly seemed confused as he shook his head.

Just a second ago she had looked exactly like his wife. Now that he had heard her deny the name she simply looked like any other woman. He was slightly taken aback as he looked at the remaining members of the gang. Each man was watching him with concern upon his face. Alan's bow had now been lowered and was hanging loosely beside him.

"You're Robin Hood… Are you not?" He heard her ask.

His head snapped back to look at her. Her face was no longer fearful but rather curious, until Alan's lowered bow came to point at her again. He now saw that she was nowhere near as wealthy as she had looked before. She was wearing older clothes that bore the marks of once being coloured in rich greens but had slowly become worn and dirt covered giving it a more peasant look. Now that he looked closely they were actually torn and ragged in some places. How could he have mistaken this woman as Marian, she didn't even look the same age as the woman he had, and still did, love.

"I don't have much money…" She started hurriedly eyeing the arrow with caution, "I just have a few goods I'm supposed to be transporting to Nottingham castle."

Robin picked up on this statement and threw off the previous incident as though pretending that it had never happened.

"What kind of goods?" He asked in a commanding tone glad to see that the rest of the men had now followed suit choosing now to search the carriage once again.

The woman was watching Much now as he dug through the items in the back of the carriage. Robin took a step closer to gain her attention once again.

"It's just some weapons that we were asked to make…" She said quickly wrapping the reins of the horses around and around her hands nervously realising the problem she was now facing.

Much threw a sword to Robin. He caught it with barely a glance at it. It was light, sturdy and clearly quite a danger to them. It would definitely be easier to wield for the soldiers meaning that it was most likely they were made for quicker attacks. Robin studied the sword with a small frown. It wasn't like the Sheriff to purchase expensive weapons for his soldiers let alone let someone transport them through Sherwood Forest unprotected. He looked towards Alan with a look that told him to keep watch on the woman. John had also stepped forwards a few steps looking very lethal with his staff held between both hands not taking his eyes off the female.

Robin looked at the weapons. They were definitely an improvement… Robin paused having heard a noise among the trees. He looked up at the hill above them but could see nothing. A chill seemed to fill the air. He moved towards the others beckoning Much to follow him.

"Master, what is it?" Much whispered as they walked around to the driver once again.

When they reached the other two Robin spoke quietly to the gang.

"Something's not right…" Alan stated almost instantaneously as they walked past him.

"I agree." Robin said quietly, he looked towards Alan who still had his bow trained on the woman.

Quite suddenly arrows flew from the higher part of the road from all directions hitting the wood of the carriage one only just missing Alan's arm. The young female fell sideways off the carriage as one embedded itself in her skull. The horses reared and took off leaving Robin and his gang quite unprotected; their only choice was to run. By now they could see soldiers hidden among the trees. Each of them shot arrows at their attackers whilst backing swiftly down the hill becoming scattered as the arrows were forcing them to do so.

Once they were out of range each man darted off in a different direction with the intention of taking a different route back to the camp. Robin darted through the trees hearing the crashing of footsteps behind him. He knew too well that these soldiers would hardly bother with trying to arrest the others. The Sheriff and Gisbourne only seemed interested in capturing and killing him. It seemed like a daft plan really to only go after him and let the others go.

Robin slowed his pace slightly as he came to a ledge. He leapt over it and changed direction running now in the direction of the camp. His footfalls became light as he ran over the terrain trying to keep as silent as possible. He ducked into a small ditch and sat there listening intently as he heard the soldiers pass by.

What had happened? Why had he thought that woman was Marian? She was dead, there was no way that she could come back. She was dead by Gisbourne's sword. He buried his face in his hands feeling his rage as it mixed with sadness feeling the warmth of fresh tears as they fell into his hands.

The sound of his incompetence fell on deaf ears. All he really had to do was pretend he was becoming infuriated by the Sheriff's abuse. It seemed that all he could do was allow for this anger to be taken out on him.

"Completely hopeless." He heard a voice snarl in his ear, "You even nearly managed to lose the weapons. Lucky we were able to secure them."

He turned to look at the one who had uttered these words. The Sheriff had already turned to walk away from him. A dark look passed over Gisbourne's face as he recalled the events that had occurred earlier that day.

His men had cornered Robin Hood, It seemed that everything involved that man these days, and yet he had still managed to get away from them. Again. Not only that but they had nearly lost a deal they had going with a band of well trained fighters. Gisbourne half wondered why the Sheriff didn't just kill him as he had done to so many others. It was certainly something he deserved considering how 'incompetent' he was.

Guy turned and walked down the hall of Nottingham castle not quite sure where exactly he was planning on going. He needed to get out somehow. To redeem himself for what had happened. He walked straight past the room she had once occupied without a second glance at the new furnishings that the room had taken.

He could almost imagine her walking up the corridor to ask him something, but she was dead, dead by his sword.

"By my sword…" He muttered.

She hadn't even loved him. She had said it herself. All the time she had used him, she had loved Robin all along.

Jealousy welled within the pit of his stomach. Locksley was an outlaw, he had broken the law and yet Marian didn't seem to care. She had even helped him all those times. Whenever he trusted her enough to offer her information she threw it in his face. She had probably been laughing at him behind his back despite all he did to protect her. The Nightwatchman stunt she had pulled, he had saved her life.

He blinked realising that he was now standing in the courtyard outside. He would leave this place one day… Surely, he could leave. It wasn't too late was it?


End file.
